I teach HS wood shop and have helped my students build many sub boxes over the years. I've always resisted the urge to build another system......until this last student project. His 12's sounded so good that I had to do something.

Now, granted I don't drive anything cool anymore but my wife likes to, as we used to say, "jam out!" So, I can justify something for her.:D

I read all the time on here, "old school." And, most of the time it refers to system components from around 98 or so. Then, other times, it refers to the late 80's, early 90's- we I played with stuff.

Long story here.....

When we were about 14 or 15, a buddy of mine bought a "box" from some of the older fellas at our school. There were two MTX 10's, two 8's, two passive 10" woofers and two tweeters in a box that probably wasn't big enough for the 10's alone! Man, we thought that was the greatest thing EVER! Eventually, he sold the subs to another buddy that ran them for many years after that- with lot's of silicone to repair the tears in the surround. Hey, it worked great and sounded great.

About the same time, I wound up with a Nakamichi tape deck that had to use two boxes to create line level outputs, a coustic 160 amp and two Rockford Fosgate 10's. I didn't even have a car, yet. But, when I got my first set of wheels, I installed that system and bought a Kraco 140 from Wally world. Yeah, I know but that little amp honestly pushed those 10's quite well. I remember it was 47wts per channel, RMS but could only run 8 Ohms if I recall. The best $42 I ever spent on an amp! I used it for years after that. To get a CD player, I bought a used one out of the local classifieds. It was a Realistic/Optimus that was a CD player only and had to work through your existing head unit. Man, that guy was a shady dude. There was just something funny about that deal. Anyway, I didn't have a lot of money so I usually bought used stuff and used things that were cheap.....like the Punch 75 that a buddy gave me. It had a channel burnt but worked fine on two Kicker 12's. I'm sure it wouldn't come close to what is out there now.

Over the years, I had systems stolen, bought Alpine head units, Fosgate amps, etc. I never competed or anything.

The two systems that really stood out to me was the local car audio shop owner (real jerk-off) had a little astro van with a gazillion subs and amps. I really don't remember what they were. I just remember that even though it was mini van, it was cool. The other system, that probably impacted me the most, was a fella that about about 4 years older than me. Supposedly, it was 2 Kicker 12's running off of a Punch 150. I was about 15, and I'll never forget the night he lead the homecoming parade on to the field playing McCade's, "How much can you take." The van had some much money, etc. spent on it, that you expected it to sound good. The little Grand Am running two 12's and a Punch 150 was more impressive because it was fairly in reach of our means. In other words, we MIGHT be able to afford it. I saw this guy, Brian, last summer at the local McDonald's car show/cruise in. He's a heck of a guy and I've known him for years but I had never told him how influential his system was to me and my buddies. He just laughed and swore it was only two 12's and a punch 150.

That's about it. After getting some old "juices" flowing helping one of my students build a box for his two Fosgate 12's, and being impressed with the sound, I have two things I'm working towards. One, is to give my wife a little more kick in her car. I bought her a new head unit for Valentines day (iPod, MP3, Bluetooth- unbelievable, really). I have Paypaled two different guys the money for 3 Fosgate 150's. The other project will be a long term one. Just like when I was in HS, I don't have the car, yet (I want a blue Iroc, like the Camaro I had right after HS) but I've started gathering the pcs. for a retro system. I'll use a Alpine head unit, old Kicker 12's in my old Camaro box I still have, Punch 150's this time!, MB Quart for mids and highs, and most likely a Coustic crossover. Then I can really listen to my old 80's hair bands and rap from the time.

Who has some nice old Kicker, Stillwater Designs, 12's, 4 Ohm. I'd prefer some nice ones but if the cones and coils are clean and nice, I would be willing to refoam the surround.

Take care, and thanks for listening.

michaellane

02-17-2010, 01:22 PM

post pics of some of your boxes

Flatheadyoungin

02-17-2010, 04:36 PM

the old box for a camro?

or the boxes we've built in shop class? if so, to be honest, i've never taken any pics of them (never thought about it until you mentioned it)......nothing fancy though, i do good to get most of them to measure right!